Sign and the like



J. N. NEW/MAN SIGN AND THE LIKE Jan. 10, 1933.

Filed Feb. 25, 1951 Patented .lan. A0, 1933 lfi litt PATENT FlC ZJ'QHN WINDRUSH NEWMAN, OFLONDQN, ENGLAND SIGN will THE LIKE Application filed February at, "1831, Serial No.

This invention relates to illuminated signs of the kind in which light'is transmitted from the rear through one or more strips of transparent or translucent material provided on a base. The object of the invention is to produce a new and attractive eflect by providing a substantially large visible lateral area to each strip which area is unilluminated (except by frontal reflection) and thus contrasts with the sharply deflned luminous frontal strip-edge rendered bright by the light transmitted from the rear. in a general manner, the luminous strip-edge may be regarded as lying at right angles to the aforesaid unilluminated area, which, for convenience, will be termed the reflection surface, bit acute or obtuse inclination of the strip-edge may be made to the adjoining re-' flection surfaces. Also for most practical 26 purposes, the reflection surfaces may be rearded as standing normal to the base member, but in modifications, for particular eftests, such angle may be varied.

A sign according to the invention, therefore, presents characters, words, designs and so forth clearly picked out by luminous lines or areas standing well clear of the otherwise opaque base, and connected to the base by bodies possessing reflection areas of substan- 39 tially great depth. An effect of solidity or perspective is given, especially when viewed from a point not immediately in front of the sign. When it is considered that the reflection areas are also comparatively dimly or variably illuminated by exterior light sources it will be appreciated how the foregoing eflect is enhanced.

The strips employed are preferably strips or parallel-faced sheets of clear glass of homogeneous transparency.

The spirit of the invention, therefore, may be said to reside in the employment of projecting sheets, as distinct from narrow (base to top edge) ribs or strips with no useful side areas comparable with the aforesaid extensive unilluminated areas of the present invention. To be moreexplicit, the strips of the present invention are sheet-like members having (a). frontal edges exhibiting transmitted light which stand well clear of 518,244, and in Great Britain march 1, 1980.

the base, and (b) substantially deep side areas.

"From the foregoing a general understanding of the nature of the invention will have been gained, and in order to further this understanding, a practical embodiment will be described in greater detail, with the aid of the accompanying drawing which shows a single letter (viz :A) built up as a sign according to one embodiment of the said invention.

In said drawing Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the sign exhibiting the letter A as seen from the front.

Fig. 2 is a back elevation of the sign; and

Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation of one of the sheets of glass for forming one of the sides of the letter A.

According to the said embodiment of the invention, letters, characters or the like, are built up of sheets of glass 1 secured to and passing through a transparent base-plate 2 at right-angles thereto, said base-plate 2, apart from the junction areas where the sheets 1 are joined thereto, being opaque. The sheets of glass are arranged, as mentioned, at various angles to one another so that their frontal edges 3 form the sign, e. g. a letter A as illustrated. The depth of the individual sign sheets 1 (i. e. irom luminous edges 3 to base plate 2) is appreciable in relation to the height of a letter (i. e. from bottom w-y to top ab), being at least one third thereof, and as much as equal thereto, in order to provide the reflection surface hereinbefore described. In signs of this character heretofore proposed such a dimension has been trifling and negligible. liegarding the thickness of the glass (determining the width of the luminous strip at edge 3) this will depend upon the gauge of sheet or plate glass employed, but in all cases it will be much less than the depth of the sheet (base 2 to luminous edge 3) so that the effect of the reflection surface will not be over-shadowed and 10st. For example a glass sheet 1 having a frontal edge 3 about one eighth of an inch wide should be at least half an inch deep from the edge 3 to base 2.

The base-plate2 may be of homogeneous opaque material having slits, slots, or other openings to accommodate the mountin edges of the transparent strips or sheets 1. such a case, the latter could extend throu h to the rear of the base-plate, and project t ereat if desired. The sheets 1 may be cemented in the slits of the base. To absorb vibration, the base 2 may be composed of a suitable resilient material, e. g. india-rubber or composition thereof. Moreover, the said base maly be'moulded or cast from plastlc materia The base-plate 2 with the projecting strips 1 forming the sign is disposed in use adjacent to a light source or sources L located in rear of the opa ue base 2. N o particular rear-light need be installed, as ordinary daylight or other existing source or sources of light ,may be utilized to give the effect aimed at. 7, i

The invention lends itself to a variety of ways of building up the strip or sheet signs on the base. Straight flat sheets 1 as illustrated exclusively may be employed, curved arts of the character being com: posed, in acet fashion, of short lengths. Or curves of rolled, bent, or moulded sheet may I ings adapted to and ada ted to transmit light from a source behind t e base to their front edges.

3. A sign compris' a base havin ings adapted to allow ight to ass ough from the back to the front of e base, and transparent sheets arranged in the form of characters mounted edgewise at said openof the base and passing therethrough an projecting in front of the ase and adapted to transmit light from their back edges to their front edges.

4. A sign comprising a base havin openallow light to pass t rough from theback to the front of the base, and transparentglass sheets arran ed in the form of characters and mounted e gewise at said openings of the base and passing therethroug and projecting in front of the base and adapted to transmit light from their back ed es to their front edges.

J OI-IN WINDRUSH NEWMAN.

openbe employed. In certain simple or other designs, the sheets 1 may be integrally moulded or formed on the base 2; alternatively, for general purposes, the sheetsmay be attached bgl one edge to the base, by utilizing a suit e binding medium.

In adopting the aforesaid method of attaching the sheets 1 which consists of slitting the base and inserting the sheets in the slits, such slittings could follow conven tional stencil-cutting practice, the luminous edges 3, nevertheless giving an uninterrupted effect, Thus referring to Fig. 3 the rear end 4 of each side sheet 1 is notched at one corner so that the length of its rear edge 5 is shorter than that of its front ed e 3 and is equal to the length of the slit 6 Fig. 2), .formed for its reception in the base 2. Cement 7 (Fig. 2) may beemployed to secure the sheets in the base The sheet forming the cross-piece of the letter A is notched at both corners of its rear end.

I claim 1. A sign comprising an opaque base having openings extending therethrough from the back to the front thereof, and transparent sheet-like members arranged edgewise in said openings and projecting in front of the base in the form of characters and adapted to transmit light from a source behind the base i to their front edges.

2. A sign comprising an opaque base having openings extending therethrough from the back to the front thereof, and transparent glass sheet-like members arranged edgewise in the openings of the base and projecting in front of the base in the form of characters 

